Topix

English

Santa Clara University School of Law

1 JOINT STATEMENT OF  TOPIX, LLC AND ATTORNEYS GENERAL  Topix, LLC (hereinafter “Topix”) and the Attorneys General listed below announce measures that Topix is taking to improve public safety and to deter abusive activity on its website, Topix.com.  This joint statement culminates an exchange of information and discussions between Chris Tolles, the CEO of Topix, Jack Conway, the Attorney General of Kentucky, Richard Blumenthal, the Attorney General of Connecticut and Jon Bruning, the Attorney General of Nebraska.  Topix.com is a popular website that, inter alia, allows consumers to post comments, polls and surveys in local forums for the purpose of facilitating discussion about news and other matters of local community interest, and thus provides consumers with an open platform to become more informed regarding local matters.  As with all communication tools, it can be misused by consumers.  Specifically, a number of posts submitted by consumers contain false, obscene or derogatory information.  Some consumers have also complained to the Attorneys General about the impact of inappropriate posts on their personal and family relationships, their reputations in their communities and the impact upon their children.  Consumers have also raised concerns about the amount of time it takes Topix to review reports of abusive posts and Topix’s policy of charging $19.99 for a “Priority Review” of such posts.  The Attorneys General are concerned about derogatory posts that are personal in nature, particularly those that relate to minors.  As such, the Attorneys General collectively and individually have taken steps to combat cyberbullying.  Those steps include:  a) Educating parents, teachers and students through a variety of educational and outreach programs;  b) Proposing and/or supporting legislation to outlaw cyberbullying or cyberstalking;  c) Conducting or assisting in investigations and prosecutions of allegations of cyberbullying and cyberstalking; and  d) Entering into partnerships with non-profit organizations and other government agencies to enhance public awareness of the psychological harm that cyberbullying can cause, particularly to minors, including but not limited to suicide.  Topix is the largest platform for local forums in the US and has received over 100 million user-generated posts since its inception.  Notably, Topix averages over 125,000 user-generated posts per day.  Topix has and continues to invest in sophisticated software systems that pre-screen all posts in an effort to limit the number of abusive or inappropriate posts that may appear online.    2 Topix takes every complaint and feedback request very seriously.  Topix manually reviews every Feedback form that is submitted through its online Feedback system.  The turnaround time to review a Feedback request has historically been less than seven (7) working days.    Accordingly, Topix and the Attorneys General announce the following measures for improving public safety and deterring inappropriate activity on Topix’s web site, and providing a better consumer experience:   I. REMOVAL OF $19.99 FEE FOR “PRIORITY REVIEW” AND IMPROVED ELECTRONIC SCREENING AND ABUSE REPORT RESPONSE TIME  Topix will eliminate the “Priority Review” option from its site, and all reviews shall be free of charge.  Topix has implemented and will continue to refine and improve the technical tools and human resources necessary to allow it to review Feedback requests for reported posts.  Topix will no longer employ the current “flag” system which requires multiple users to report a post before it is reviewed.  All complaints and reported posts on the Topix.com branded site will now be handled through the Feedback system.  Topix will continue to explore the implementation and use of technology that could assist it in pre-screening posts, as well as in the review of reported posts.  Topix will endeavor to review and remove inappropriate posts as promptly as possible and will use commercially reasonable effort to try and achieve a response time of three (3) working days.  Topix will also seek to improve its processes and technologies in an effort to improve this response time.  Topix will refine and simplify its Terms of Service to inform consumers that Topix may remove any post in its sole discretion.  Topix will advise consumers to contact their local law enforcement agency if they believe a particular post threatens violence or constitutes illegal harassment.    II. LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION  Topix will continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to assist them in combating unlawful activity on its website.  Topix has developed a Law Enforcement Primer that will provide contact information, including a telephone number and e-mail address, for law enforcement agencies to use in order to obtain a prompt response from Topix regarding urgent law enforcement matters.  The primer will include instructions on points of contact and requirements for subpoena and search warrant requests. 3 III. FUTURE EFFORTS  Topix and the Attorneys General will consult on an as-needed basis to discuss issues of concern including, but not limited to, responsiveness to abuse reports and other consumer complaints.  Topix will continue to explore and evaluate new technology and processes for improving and limiting the misuse of its site.  Topix shares the Attorneys General concerns regarding the special nature of posts involving minors and will continue to treat Feedback regarding minors diligently.  Topix and the Attorneys General shall endeavor to inform consumers that while certain subject matter will create heated commentary, there is value in the open exchange of ideas.    Sincerely,  Richard Blumenthal Attorney General of Connecticut  Jack Conway Attorney General of Kentucky Jon Bruning Attorney General of Nebraska  Terry Goddard  Attorney General of Arizona   Dustin McDaniel Attorney General of Arkansas  John Suthers Attorney General of Colorado   Bill McCollum Attorney General of Florida  (no signature available)  John Weisenberger Attorney General of Guam     Mark J. Bennett Attorney General of Hawaii   Lawrence G. Wasden Attorney General of Idaho 4   Lisa Madigan Attorney General of Illinois  Greg Zoeller Attorney General of Indiana     Tom Miller Attorney General of Iowa  Steve Six Attorney General of Kansas     James D. Caldwell Attorney General of Louisiana  Janet T. Mills Attorney General of Maine  Douglas F. Gansler Attorney General of Maryland   Jim Hood Attorney General of Mississippi    Steve Bullock Attorney General of Montana  Catherine Cortez Masto Attorney General of Nevada  Michael A. Delaney Attorney General of New Hampshire   Gary K. King Attorney General of New Mexico   Wayne Stenehjem Attorney General of North Dakota  (no signature available)    Edward T. Buckingham Attorney General of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 5    Richard Cordray  Attorney General of Ohio   W.A. Drew Edmondson Attorney General of Oklahoma   (no signature available)   Guillermo A. Somoza Colombani Attorney General of Puerto Rico   Patrick C. Lynch Attorney General of Rhode Island    Marty J. Jackley Attorney General of South Dakota Robert E. Cooper, Jr. Attorney General of Tennessee    Mark L. Shurtleff Attorney General of Utah   William H. Sorrell  Attorney General of Vermont    Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II Attorney General of Virginia Rob McKenna Attorney General of Washington    Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. Attorney General of West Virginia      Chris Tolles  CEO Topix, LLC 

Joint Statement of Topix, LLC and Attorneys General

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https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1454&amp;context=historical

Joint Statement of Topix, LLC and Attorneys General

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Santa Clara University School of Law

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